Behavior Management: Positive Applications for Teachers, Sixth Edition © 2012, 2008, 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Chapter 10 Positive Behavioral Supports: Reinforcement Strategies

Behavior Management: Positive Applications for Teachers, 6e – Zirpoli ISBN: © 2012, 2008, 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Positive Behavioral Support (PBS) Refer to the use of positive reinforcement strategies as the principal method of changing behavior

Behavior Management: Positive Applications for Teachers, 6e – Zirpoli ISBN: © 2012, 2008, 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Reinforcement Definition any stimulus that maintains or increases the behavior exhibited immediately prior to the presentation of the stimulus.

Behavior Management: Positive Applications for Teachers, 6e – Zirpoli ISBN: © 2012, 2008, 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Types of Reinforcement Positive reinforcement Negative reinforcement Primary reinforcers Secondary reinforcers Socially valid reinforcers Extrinsic versus intrinsic reinforcement

Behavior Management: Positive Applications for Teachers, 6e – Zirpoli ISBN: © 2012, 2008, 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Positive Behavior Terms Positive Reinforcement – provision of a consequence (reward) which follows a target behavior and results in an increase or maintenance of the target behavior Negative Reinforcement – removal of a negative consequence following a target behavior and results in an increase or maintenance of the target behavior Punishment – a consequence, usually negative, that decreases the behavior that it follows Response Cost – systematic removal of reinforcers as a consequence of inappropriate behavior such that it decreases the behavior that it follows Extinction – (ignoring) – decreases inappropriate behaviors by neither reinforcing nor punishing

Behavior Management: Positive Applications for Teachers, 6e – Zirpoli ISBN: © 2012, 2008, 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Examples + reinforcement – you praise or reward a child after they complete their work - reinforcement – because a child completes their work they don’t have to stay in at recess Punishment – because a student doesn’t complete their work they have to stay in at recess Response cost – after giving tokens for completing work – you take tokens away for incomplete work later in the day

Behavior Management: Positive Applications for Teachers, 6e – Zirpoli ISBN: © 2012, 2008, 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Types of Reinforcers Primary (tangible) – meet biological need (food) – something real Secondary – intangible or represents Social (praise, smiles) Tokens – can be traded for something Activity (computer time, games, etc.)

Behavior Management: Positive Applications for Teachers, 6e – Zirpoli ISBN: © 2012, 2008, 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Other Terms for Reinforcers Socially valid – acceptable within the student’s social setting Extrinsic – observable – e.g. a cookie Intrinsic – internally motivating – e.g. child likes to do a “good” job Premack Principle – pair low preference activity w/high preference one “Eat your peas and you get dessert”

Behavior Management: Positive Applications for Teachers, 6e – Zirpoli ISBN: © 2012, 2008, 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Establishing an Effective Reinforcement Program Establish clear and consistent expectations Teachers must set the example Determine delivery of reinforcers Avoid reinforcement satiation

Behavior Management: Positive Applications for Teachers, 6e – Zirpoli ISBN: © 2012, 2008, 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Schedules of Reinforcement Ratio reinforcement schedules Fixed ratio schedules Variable ratio schedules Interval reinforcement schedules Fixed interval schedules Variable interval schedules

Behavior Management: Positive Applications for Teachers, 6e – Zirpoli ISBN: © 2012, 2008, 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Reinforcement Schedules More serious behavior or more quickly you want behavior to change – more immediate reinforcement has to be. Main Types: Interval – at predetermined intervals of time – gradually extend time Intermittent – no predetermined time interval

Behavior Management: Positive Applications for Teachers, 6e – Zirpoli ISBN: © 2012, 2008, 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Shaping & Chaining Behaviors Shaping behaviors refers to the reinforcement of successive approximations of a terminal behavior Chaining behaviors refers to the performance of a series or sequence of behaviors Forward chaining Backward chaining

Behavior Management: Positive Applications for Teachers, 6e – Zirpoli ISBN: © 2012, 2008, 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Token Economy is a symbolic reinforcement system Based on a monetary system Characteristics of tokens Should be something that the students can see, touch, and count Exchangeable for a high preference activity or reinforcer

Behavior Management: Positive Applications for Teachers, 6e – Zirpoli ISBN: © 2012, 2008, 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Token Economies Usually a whole group behavior mgt. system (can be a level system) Steps: 1. Define behaviors (+) that will be focus 2. Determine tokens to be used 3. Determine how you will track 4. Decide on reinforcers & response cost 5. Implement and plan for evaluation

Behavior Management: Positive Applications for Teachers, 6e – Zirpoli ISBN: © 2012, 2008, 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Contingency Contracting Involves the establishment of a written contract between a student and teacher regarding… the performance of specific target behaviors in exchange for specific consequences Advantages of Contracts

Behavior Management: Positive Applications for Teachers, 6e – Zirpoli ISBN: © 2012, 2008, 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Contingency Contracts 1. Gather observational data on behavior 2. Discuss with student (Parent?) 3. Get admission of problem & buy in to do it 4. Jointly develop contract & sign it (keep a copy) 5. Make reinforcers & consequences reasonable 6. Include timetable/plan for monitoring & evaluating 7. Follow it!!!

Behavior Management: Positive Applications for Teachers, 6e – Zirpoli ISBN: © 2012, 2008, 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Generalization the degree to which a behavior change transfers to other settings Stimulus generalization Degree behavior changes across settings Response generalization Degree behavior changes influences other behaviors – now that I’ve stopped talking I get more work done

Behavior Management: Positive Applications for Teachers, 6e – Zirpoli ISBN: © 2012, 2008, 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Promoting Generalization of Behavior Changes Teach in natural settings Select natural antecedents for stimulus control Select natural consequences as reinforcers Reinforce generalization

Behavior Management: Positive Applications for Teachers, 6e – Zirpoli ISBN: © 2012, 2008, 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Maintenance the degree to which a behavior change is maintained over time When training is conducted within natural settings, using natural antecedents and consequences… behavior changes are more likely to be maintained.

Behavior Management: Positive Applications for Teachers, 6e – Zirpoli ISBN: © 2012, 2008, 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Summary Reinforcers can take many different forms and be administered in different ways Choice and schedule of reinforcers are important in changing behaviors Getting behavior changes to generalize & be maintained across settings is final goal of positive behavioral techniques